‘Alarming’ rise in Americans with long Covid symptoms
CDC data shows nearly 18m people could be living with long Covid even as health agency relaxes isolation recommendationsSome 6.8% of American adults are currently experiencing long Covid symptoms, according to a new survey from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), revealing an “alarming” increase in recent months even as the health agency relaxes Covid isolation recommendations, experts say.That means an estimated 17.6 million Americans could now be living with long Covid.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 15, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Melody Schreiber Tags: Long Covid Coronavirus US news World news Science Society Source Type: news
Brazil to release millions of anti-dengue mosquitoes as death toll from outbreak mounts
Mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria that inhibit spread of disease to be introduced in six cities after successful pilot schemeA dengue-fighting strategy that involves releasing bacteria-infected mosquitoes will be rolled out to six Brazilian cities in the coming months as the country battles a severe outbreak of dengue fever, a viral disease transmitted by theAedes aegyptimosquito.Factors such as hotter and wetter weather caused by the climate crisis and the circulation of previously absent subtypes of the virus are fuelling an explosion of dengue in Brazil, which has recorded1.6m probable cases since January – ...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 15, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Constance Malleret in Rio de Janeiro Tags: Global health Global development Insects Animals Environment Wildlife World news Society Infectious diseases Dengue fever Brazil Medical research Source Type: news
Neurological conditions now leading cause of ill-health worldwide, finds study
Numbers living with or dying from disorders such as stroke rises dramatically to 3.4bn people – 43% of global populationNeurological conditions ranging from migraine to stroke, Parkinson ’s disease and dementia, are now the leading cause of ill-health worldwide, causing 11.1 million deaths in 2021, research has revealed.The number of people living with or dying from disorders of the nervous system has risen dramatically over the past three decades, with 43% of the world ’s population – 3.4 billion people – affected in 2021, according toa study published in the Lancet.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 14, 2024 Category: Science Authors: David Batty Tags: Health Neuroscience Parkinson's disease Dementia Stroke Medical research Society Source Type: news
SpaceX ’s Starship destroyed on return to Earth at end of third test flight
Spacecraft ’s cruise vessel flew around globe for first time, but lost contact in final stages before planned splashdownSpaceX ’s Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built,was destroyed during its return to Earth after nearly completing itsthird test flight.The 120-metre system, which weighs about 5,000 tonnes when fully fuelled, took off from SpaceX ’s spaceport, named Starbase, on the Gulf of Mexico in Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX aims to use the spacecraft to one day carry astronauts to the moon and Mars.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 14, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Oliver Holmes Tags: SpaceX Elon Musk US news Science World news Source Type: news
SpaceX completes third Starship test flight lasting 50 minutes – video
SpaceX launched the third test flight of its Starship spacecraft, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, which aims to carry astronauts to the moon and, eventually, to Mars. It took off from SpaceX's spaceport, named Starbase, on the Gulf of Mexico in Boca Chica, Texas, entering space several minutes later. After 50 minutes, it lost contact with the spacecraft and the live feed cut to the control room. SpaceX were never intending to recover the parts after take-off. Two previous attempts ended in the explosion of the spacecraft's engine booster and the cruise vessel, which is designed to eventually carry up to 10...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 14, 2024 Category: Science Tags: SpaceX World news Elon Musk US news Source Type: news
Melt rate of Greenland ice sheet can predict summer weather in Europe, scientist says
Location, extent and strength of recent freshwater events suggest an unusually warm and dry summer over southern Europe this yearLong-range weather predictions are notoriously difficult, buta new paper in the journal Weather and Climate Dynamics suggests that the melt rate of the Greenland ice sheetcan predict the next summer ’s weather in Europe.The chain of events is complex and other factors may interfere. But according toDr Marilena Oltmanns of the UK National Oceanography Centre, lead author of the study, it goes roughly as follows:Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 14, 2024 Category: Science Authors: David Hambling Tags: Environment Europe weather World news Science Greenland Source Type: news
A waterworld with a boiling ocean and the end of dark matter? The week in science – podcast
Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss some of the science stories that have made headlines this week, from a new theory challenging the existence of dark matter to an alarming study about the possible impact of microplastics on our health and a glimpse of a ‘waterworld with a boiling ocean’ deep in spaceContinue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 14, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Presented by Ian Sample with Hannah Devlin; produced by Madeleine Finlay; sound design by Tony Onuchukwu Tags: Science Astronomy James Webb space telescope Physics Chemistry Plastics Health Medical research Environment Society Source Type: news
US rancher used tissue and testicles to breed ‘giant’ sheep to sell for hunting
Arthur Schubarth, 80, pleads guilty to trafficking in ‘audacious’ and unlawful scheme to cross-breed sheep for lucrative saleA Montana rancher illegally used tissue and testicles from wild sheep killed by hunters in central Asia and the US to breed “giant” hybrid sheep for sale to private hunting preserves in Texas, according to court documents and federal prosecutors.Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, 80, of Vaughn, Montana, pleaded guilty to felony charges of wildlife trafficking and conspiracy to traffic wildlife during an appearance Tuesday before a federal judge in Great Falls.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 14, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Associated Press in Billings Tags: Montana Animals US crime US news World news Science Source Type: news
UK cancer study shows big fall in death rates since early 1990s
Improved screening and treatment means fewer middle-aged people dying of disease despite rise in casesMore middle-aged people are getting cancer but fewer of them are dying from it thanks to improved detection and better treatment, research has found.The findings are “positive and reassuring” for those aged 35 to 69, according to cancer experts quoted in the British Medical Journal, which published the paper.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 13, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Denis Campbell Health policy editor Tags: Cancer Health NHS Health policy Society Cancer research Politics UK news Medical research Source Type: news
Pet DNA testing company in doghouse after identifying human as canine
DNA My Dog received human genetic sample and identified it as a malamute, shar-pei and labrador, according to news stationA pet company has twice sent back dog breed results for human swab samples, prompting doubts surrounding the accuracy of dog breed tests.On Wednesday, WBZ Newsreported its investigations team receivingdog breed results from the company DNA My Dog after one of its reporters sent in a swab sample – from her own cheek.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 13, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Maya Yang Tags: Dogs Pets Animals Science US news Source Type: news
Wim Hof breathing and cold-exposure method may have benefits, study finds
Adrenaline release thought to dampen inflammation, but experts say method ‘not without risks’Whether plunging themselves into ice baths or deliberately hyperventilating and then holding their breath, devotees of “The Iceman” Wim Hof are evangelical about the physical and mental benefits these practices bring. A new study suggests they may indeed reduce levels of inflammation in the body. However, experts stress that practising the Wim Hof method is not without risk.Hof is a Dutch athlete, best known for record-breaking feats such as swimming under ice and running barefoot on ice and snow. More recently, he has buil...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 13, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Linda Geddes Science correspondent Tags: Science Health & wellbeing UK news University of Warwick Life and style Medical research Fitness Source Type: news
Playing thriving reef sounds on underwater speakers ‘could save damaged corals’
Coral larvae more likely to settle on degraded reefs bathed in marine soundscapes, Caribbean study showsUnderwater speakers that broadcast the hustle and bustle of thriving coral could bring life back to more damaged and degraded reefs that are in danger of becoming ocean graveyards, researchers say.Scientists working off the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean found that coral larvae were up to seven times more likely to settle at a struggling reef where they played recordings of the snaps, groans, grunts and scratches that form the symphony of a healthy ecosystem.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 13, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Ian Sample Science editor Tags: Coral Environment Science Oceans Caribbean Marine life Source Type: news
Space One rocket explodes soon after launch in Japan
First attempt with private Kairos rocket was intended to test viability of homegrown commercial launch businessA rocket made by a Japanese company has exploded seconds after it was launched with the goal of putting a satellite into orbit.Tokyo-based Space One ’s 18-metre Kairos rocket blasted off from the company’s launch pad in the Wakayama region of western Japan, carrying a small government test satellite, on Wednesday.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 13, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Guardian staff and agencies Tags: Japan Space Satellites Asia Pacific World news Science Source Type: news
I was sweating before I even opened my mouth: could I overcome my fear of public speaking? | Nova Weetman
I thought becoming an author meant I could avoid ever addressing a crowd again. Then I was invited to a writers ’ festivalWhen I was younger I was so terrified of public speaking that I went out of my way to avoid it. If I was forced to address a crowd, I didn ’t sleep for days before because I would loop disaster scenarios over and over in my head. When it came to the actual event, my hands would be clammy, my breathing would be erratic and I’d speed through my speech in a desperate need just to be done.At university, I chose subjects merely because they did not involve class presentations. I never applied for jobs ...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 13, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Nova Weetman Tags: Psychology Source Type: news
Overweight girls ‘more likely to see GP about musculoskeletal problems’
Study finds reception-age girls with obesity 67% more likely to see doctor about musculoskeletal issues than those at healthy weightGirls aged between four and 11 who are overweight or obese are more likely to see a GP at least once about musculoskeletal problems than their healthy weight peers, research suggests.Pupils in reception year who had a body mass index considered overweight were 24% more likely to see a doctor at least once for a musculoskeletal issue while their peers who were living with obesity were 67% more likely to do so than girls with a healthy weight, the study found.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 12, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Nadeem Badshah Tags: Obesity Health Medical research UK news Science Society Children Source Type: news
